What is your favorite poem? Why?

What is interesting about the timing of this prompt is that for the first time in a long time, I was reminded of my favorite poem by one of my fellow bloggers, Vivinfrance. She is such a talented poet. ,I before blogging, rarely spent any time reading poetry but since 2010, when I started writing, I have had the privilege of encountering four wonderful poetry writers; Thelaughinghousewife, Weescoops, Vivinfrance and Kolembo. They are each different but so special and inspiring, I love reading their works.

This brings me back to my favorite poem:

Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,

For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,

Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,

And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Death Be Not Proud

by John Donne

My freshman year English teacher had us read Death be not Proud the novel, inspired by the poem, and it touched me much more deeply than anything that I had ever read before. Mind you I was only fourteen and reading a novel about a father watching his only son dying from terminal brain cancer and feeling powerless to stop it, wasn't the standard fare for my age group, but Mister Manion made the emotions and the feelings come alive for myself and the rest of my class. He especially made the poem by John Donne live and breathe and made us understand how one poem could inspire a father to write an entire book dealing with his pain, loss and admiration all at once. This was a poem that had a profound impact and I will never forget it.

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